Printer&#39;s chases



March 21, 1961 Filed Feb. 4, 1958 W. F. GOLDING PRINTER S CHASES 2 Sheei's-Sheet 1 Ha; I

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United States Patent- "ice PRINTERS CHASES William Frank Golding, 22 Parrys Close, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, England Filed Feb. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 713,186 Claims priority, application Great Britain Feb. 5, 1957 8 Claims. or. 101-391 This invention relates to printers chases of the kind for use with an inverted forme, i.e. chasesto besupported on the underside of an upper platen of platen press;

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved means for supporting the chase on the platen.

According to this invention 1 provide a chase for inverted formes in combination with a platen press, wherein the press is provided with a guide position to support the chase for movement parallel to and clear of the pressure face of a platen in respect of which the chase is provided thereby to guide the chase while the latter is being moved towards or from its operating position, ramp means defined by a component provided on the press and a co-operating component provided on the chase, the components'being positioned to co-operate and raise the chase from the guide into contact with the platen when the chase is moved towards and has reached a point close to its operating position, and releasable means for urging the chase in the direction of the'guide towards the operating position and holding. the chase therein.

Embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l'is an elevation of a platen, chase and forms assembly of a cutting and creasing press.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the chase shown in relation to the side frames of the press.

Fig. 4 is a view as seen in the direction of the arrow 1V in Fig. 1 and showing a modification.

Fig. 5 isa section on the line V--V in Fig. 4.

In the drawings like parts are given likereference I numerals.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a platen 1 supported between side frames 35, 36 of the press. The platen 1 has secured to the underside thereof a chase 2 containing a cutting forme 3 intended to act on sheets of cardboard (not shown) fed into position below the platen 1 and pressed upwardly against the forme by a lower platen (not shown). The direction of feed of the sheets is indicated by the arrow 4.

The chase 2 comprises a rectangular frame 5 comprising two side members 6, two relatively shorter end members 7, 8 and two intermediate members or bars 9 extending parallel to the members 6 in positions intermediate therebetween. The member 7 extends partially above the level of the members 6, 6, 8 and comprises a bevel 10. The member 8 comprises a bevel 11. The bars 9 are stepped at bevels 12.

The bottom of the platen 1 is constructed to receive and locate in position the chase 2 when the latter is pushed into engagement with the platen 1. The platen 1 is provided with grooves or recesses :14 accommodating the bars 9. Bevels 15, 16 and 17 on the platen 1 co-operate.

with the bevels 10, 11, 12, respectively, 'of thechase 2 for the corresponding members 7, 8 and the bars 9 to be pressed upwardly against the platen 1 as will be described hereinbelow.

I Patented Mar. 21, 1961 The forme 3 comprises a steel backing sheet 18 and wooden members 19 supporting between them cutting blades 20. The forme 3 is held in the frame 5 by wedges in a manner known per se; and further, the forme 3 is secured to the undersides of the bars 9 by screws 21.

The arrangement is such that when the chase 2 is pushed home into the platen 1, the co-operation between said bevels of the chase 2 and of the platen 1 causes the upper surface of the backing sheet 13 to be pressed against the underside of the platen 1 and the upper surfaces of the bars 9 to be pressed against the corresponding surfaces of the grooves 14. In this manner the chase is firmly located in position and an uninterrupted pressure surface is presented to the backing sheet 18, i.e. to the forme 3.

The chase 2 is pressed into position in the platen 1 by means of levers 22 abutting the member 7. The levers 22 are secured to a shaft 23 mounted in bearings 24 on the platen 1 and having further secured thereto 1evers25 to which is pivoted the bottom end of rod 26 the upper end portion of which is screw-threaded and engaged by a nut 27 supported for rotation but against axial movement in a sleeve 28 supported by trunnions 29 in bearings30 secured to the platen 1. The nut 27 is provided with a hand wheel 31 rotation of which in one direction causes the levers 22 to be pressed against the chase for the purpose aforesaid. Adjacent the members 6 of the chase 5 there are mounted on the platenl a plurality of track wheels 32 so positioned that, when the levers 22 are withdrawn from the chase 5 by appropriaterotation of the 'hand wheel 31, the chase 5 lowers gravitationally onto the wheels 32 and may readily be withdrawn from the platen 1 by being gripped at handles 33 and pulled from the press through an opening 34 in the side frame 35.

It may bedesirable to secure both ends of the bars 9 to the chase to prevent outward bowing of the members 7, 8' under the pressure of the wedges securing the forme 3 and thereby to ensure that the bevels 7,

10 'act substantially simultaneously with the bevels 11, 16. a

The drawings show the chase 2 in the operating position. The pressure face of the platen 1 is the area thereof facing those upper surfaces of the chase 2 which are in a plane with the upper surface of the backing sheet 18. The wheels 32 define a guide positioned to support the chase for movement parallel to and clear of said pressure surface of the platen 1 thereby to guide the chase 2 while the latter is being moved towards or from its operating position, i.e. moved into or out of the press. The bevels 10, 11, 12 on the chase 2 on the one hand, and the bevels 15, 16, 17 on the platen 1 on the other hand define co-operating components of a ramp means. The chase 2 is regarded as having a position close to its operating position when, on movement of the chase, said bevels are about to co-operate' and raise the chase 2 or have just ceased to co-operate and the chase is lowered again onto the wheels 32. The levers 22 in conjunction with the rod 26, nut 27 and hand wheel 31 define areleasable means for urging the chase 2 in the direction of said guide towards the operating position and holding the chase 2 therein. The end member 7 defines the near'end of the chase, i.e. the end nearest to an operator standing outside the opening 34. correspondingly, the member 8 defines the far end of the chase 2.

In cases where the bars 9 are not provided on the chase 2, the grooves 14 are of course dispensed with.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the bevels 10, 15 are dispensed with, and instead the levers 22 are eachprovided with a foot 40 dimensioned to engage a ramp 41 to co-operate with bevels 44- providedon the platen 1.

The bevels 43, 44 serve to counteract any gravitational downward deflection or sagging of the members 6 when the chase 2 is raised into the operating position. Likewise, the bevels 12, 17 have the function of prevent-ing sagging ofthe bars 9 if thesebars are provided.

What I claim and desire to secure by-Letters- Patent 1. In a press having aplaten positioned for the pressure surface thereof to face downwards, a chase securable to said platen in an operating position the chase being defined by two parallel side members and two parallel end members, a forme being securable inthe chase by-pressurebetween theform and the members of the chase, a guide means dimensioned to support the chase at the-side members thereof in a position parallel to but clear of said pressure surface and to guide the chase for inward movement towards and outward move ment from said operating position, first and second ramp means operating to engage the chase when the latter, upon inward movement, has reached a position close to the operatingposition and to guide the chase in an oblique inward and upward direction into the operating position, said first and second ramp means beingsituated in positions spaced apart in the direction of said guides and eachsaid first and second ramp means comprising a component provided on the chase and a cooperating component provided on the press, releasable means for urgingthechase' along said components on the press into said operatingposition thereby to secure the chase to said platen, and means for registering the chase: in a direction horizontally transverse to the direction of said guides.

2. A press according toclaim 1, said first and second ramp means having the same direction of inclination whereby themovement of the chase from said guides is a continuation of said inward movement of the chase in an oblique upward and inward direction, and said first and second ramp means being positioned to coopcrate substantially simultaneously thereby to raise the chase against'said pressuresurface in parallelismthereto.

3. A press; according to claim 2, wherein said first ramp means are positioned to be ofi-set, from said second ramp means in a direction transverse to the direction of said guides, said ofl-set relationship being such that during inward movement of the chase the leading one of the components on the chase clears the component on the. press destined to engage the trailing one of the components on the chase.

4. A press according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ramp means are positioned to engage the chase at the respective end members thereof.

5. A press according to. claim 2, said chase end members comprising upper surfaces intended to engage said pressure surface, and wherein said first and second ramp means are provided" respectively at the end members of the chase which, upon, inward movement, define the leading and trailing end members of the chase, the component on the chase of' the first ramp means being provided at said leading end-member in a position below said upper surface thereof, and the component on the chase of said second ramp means being provided at said trailing end member in a position above said upper surface thereof.

6. A press according to claim 1, the components on the chase of said first and second ramp means being provided on. the respective end members, of the chase, a bar extending parallel to said side members of the chase and secured at its ends to said end members of the chase at points intermediate between said side members, the bar defining a tension member operating to maintain the mutual spacing of said end members and thus the spacing of said components as provided on said end members against displacement-under the pressure of said wedge means;

7; A press. according to claim 1, said means for transversely registering. the chase comprising a bar extending parallel tosaid side members of the chase and connected: at its endsto saidtends members. atpoints intermediate between said.side members, a recess provided in theplaten, thebar.- being. positioned to engage the recess and the-recess being dimensionedto, receive the, bar to; register thechase transversely.

8; A press according to claim 1,,wherein said components on the press are provided thereon in fixed, positions;

References; Citcd n. h e o h pat UNITED STATES PATENTS 

